Meet the Plenary Health VCCC Project Team - James Uttley, Grocon PCL Facade Manager

MELBOURNE, VICTORIA – Construction stalwart James Uttley has the best job in the world – as there are not many people get to go to work and play Tetris all day.

Construction stalwart James Uttley has the best job in the world – as there are not many people get to go to work and play Tetris all day.  

Of course we don’t actually mean the popular video game that took the world by storm in the ‘80s and ‘90s. For the past two years, James has been responsible for the careful placement of over 3,000 concrete and glass panels that make up the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre’s complex primary façade.

For James, who goes by Jim, the job has involved managing 50-plus on site installers, as well as his team of six site managers and coordinators from Plenary Health’s VCCC Joint Venture builder Grocon PCL.

With the VCCC façade measuring in at an incredible 24,000m2, this has been no easy feat. Jim happily reports however his team has safely installed thousands of façade pieces onto the building’s towering concrete structure – including curtain wall glazing, aluminium and pre-cast concrete panels and strip windows.

With the VCCC’s primary façade substantially completed in May, Jim’s attention has turned to applying the 220 pieces of Fibre Reinforced Plastic panels, decorative screens, glazed brick and sunshades which are, in effect, the icing on this very large cake. This decorative trimming will complete the VCCC design team’s vision for this benchmark comprehensive cancer centre.

We spoke to Jim to find out more about his role and what he’ll take away from working on such a significant project for Victoria.

1. Can you explain your job on the VCCC?

As the VCCC Project’s Façade Manager I have worked through the architectural design development phase to ensure the brief was met, managed the off-site production of our sub-contractors, managed the commercial aspects and coordinated the safe installation facade with all the other construction activity.

2. What would you say have been the most challenging aspects of the job?

The biggest challenge has been ensuring we complete our works to programme to enable the fit-out teams to complete their works within a weather protected environment.  

3. What is the most rewarding aspect of the job?

I would say it has been working closely with a group of people who have risen to the challenge of constructing a design as demanding as the VCCC'. All along the team has maintained their sense of humour and have risen to the challenges they have faced brilliantly. It’s also been great to receive positive feedback on the way the building is taking shape.

4. What have you learned from the job?

After 30 years in the business there’s not much that’s really new. For me, it’s more a reinforcement of the fact that people build buildings and that given the opportunity they can achieve amazing things through hard work and team work.

5. Tell us what the VCCC Project means to you?

It means a great deal to have the chance to work on a project that will be of international significance in terms of healthcare and its design. Buildings of this quality and significance sometimes only come along once in a lifetime.

Having completed his work on the VCCC, Jim is heading North at the end of July to take up a key delivery role on the Commonwealth Games Village project on the Gold Coast.

Executive Director, Communications
+61 3 8888 7754
+61 418 530 806
chris.whitefield@plenary.com